All eyes on TWU election

Pandey said he ensured a better grade than National Joint Committee for Steel Industries. Moreover, all allowances for workers witnessed a significant increase.

Pandey appealed to workers to cast their vote and elect committee members who had a clean image. “The employees should not fall victim of rumours spread by the opposition faction,” he said.

Asked why he did not want a probe last year when Rs 1 lakh was found at his residence along with a packet of prasad which he later handed over to Sakchi police, Pandey said, “Had I referred the matter to the ethics counsellor, the employee who had offered me money would have lost his job and then everyone would have blamed me.”

Meanwhile, all contenders for the post of committee members have started hectic campaigning for the polls, which would take place under the supervision of the district administration.

The polls will be held after a merger of the constituencies of workers and supervisors units in accordance with a high court order. In all, there will be 213 constituencies (departments so earmarked).

Earlier, 214 constituencies were earmarked. But, Harendra Kumar Mishra, one of the contenders for committee member’s post was elected unopposed from constituency no-36.

This is for the first time the TWU polls would take place at the JRD Tata Sports Complex instead of the company premises.

Preparations have already begun at the sports complex for the smooth conduct of the polls.

The polling will take place between 7 am and 4 pm, this will be followed by counting which will announce the winners of different constituencies. Over 13,500 employees of Tata Steel would participate in the polls.

The biennial polls of the Intuc-affiliated union of Tata Steel was earlier scheduled on May 21 but was postponed in view of the panchayat by-election.